More than 35,000 Australians are included in a massive database targeting influential global figures compiled by a Chinese military company.
A Chinese military company has amassed the personal details of more than 35,000 Australians as part of a giant global database targeting influential figures.
The data was shared with an international consortium of media outlets in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany as well as the Australian Financial Review and ABC in Australia. The leaked database was compiled by Shenzhen firm Zhenhua Data, which is understood to list the People's Liberation Army and Communist Party as key clients, according to AFR.
"What this highlights is that the threat of foreign interference and the capacity to amass big data sets on a population is real and we've got to take that threat very seriously."Meanwhile, new research has confirmed Chinese investment in Australia nearly halved in 2019 from the year before. The researchers say Chinese overseas investment was lower across the board last year, but Australia's drop was more drastic.
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Leaked database indicates Chinese intelligence has probed senior Australian politicians | Sky News AustraliaThe families of Australian politicians have been the target of open-source surveillance by a Chinese company that claims to have done work on behalf of Chinese intelligence, cyber security experts claim.\n\nIn an exclusive interview with Sky News Australia, cyber security analysts Robert Potter and Chris Balding have detailed the incredible scope of the espionage which they claim has targeted the most senior politicians in Australia.\n\nThe men claim a leaked database from a company called Shenzen Zhenhua Data indicates an intelligence assessment was carried out on the children or spouses of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, former Ambassador in Washington, Joe Hockey, current Ambassador, Arthur Sinodinos and Chair of the Intelligence Committee, Andrew Hastie.\n\nThe company alleged to have produced the database - Shenzen Zhenhua Data – has ties to Chinese intelligence.\n\nMr Balding – a professor at Fulbright University - said his international group of cyber-security experts had gone to great lengths to verify the database over the past 18 months, including having the data analysed by some intelligence agencies globally.\n\n“We’ve done extensive background research to basically vet the individuals, the data where this comes from, and so we feel very confident in saying that not only does the company claim to work with Chinese military, Chinese security and intelligence, but that we can actually track the individuals that have written this code, the individuals that own this company and who they are connected to, who sites on the board of directors and that, yes they do actually in fact either work for the PLA or the Ministry of State Security,” he said.\n\n“This information is being used by the Chinese state to try and target influence operations or intelligence operations around the world.”\n\nIn total, 2.4 million people and 650,000 organisations have been the target of the open-source surveillance activities, according to the leaked files, some of which have been
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Leaked database indicates Chinese intelligence has probed senior Australian politicians | Sky News AustraliaThe families of Australian politicians have been the target of open-source surveillance by a Chinese company that claims to have done work on behalf of Chinese intelligence, cyber security experts claim.\n\nIn an exclusive interview with Sky News Australia, cyber security analysts Robert Potter and Chris Balding have detailed the incredible scope of the espionage which they claim has targeted the most senior politicians in Australia.\n\nThe men claim a leaked database from a company called Shenzen Zhenhua Data indicates an intelligence assessment was carried out on the children or spouses of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, former Ambassador in Washington, Joe Hockey, current Ambassador, Arthur Sinodinos and Chair of the Intelligence Committee, Andrew Hastie.\n\nThe company alleged to have produced the database - Shenzen Zhenhua Data – has ties to Chinese intelligence.\n\nMr Balding – a professor at Fulbright University - said his international group of cyber-security experts had gone to great lengths to verify the database over the past 18 months, including having the data analysed by some intelligence agencies globally.\n\n“We’ve done extensive background research to basically vet the individuals, the data where this comes from, and so we feel very confident in saying that not only does the company claim to work with Chinese military, Chinese security and intelligence, but that we can actually track the individuals that have written this code, the individuals that own this company and who they are connected to, who sites on the board of directors and that, yes they do actually in fact either work for the PLA or the Ministry of State Security,” he said.\n\n“This information is being used by the Chinese state to try and target influence operations or intelligence operations around the world.”\n\nIn total, 2.4 million people and 650,000 organisations have been the target of the open-source surveillance activities, according to the leaked files, some of which have been
Read more »